Sectional walk-in cooler



April 10, 1956 A. A. ANDERSON 2,741,341

SECTIONAL WALK-IN COOLER Filed May 3, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l z sk VfR/H IN VEN TOR.

April 10, 1956 A. A. ANDERSON Y 2,741,341

SECTIONAL WALK-IN COOLER HMVZZEWMWH SECTIONAL WALK-INCDLER Arthur A. Anderson, St. Paul, Minn., assignm, byl mesne assignments, to Whirlpool-Seeger Corporation, St. Joseph, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application May 3, 1948, Serial No. 24,707 1 claim.; (ci. iss-.2)

My invention relates to an improvement in sectional walk-in cooler and deals particularly with a manner fof connecting these sections together.

Walk-in coolers are preferable over chest type coolers in many locations. For example in meat markets, Vand similar stores, a chest type cooler isinconvenient to use, particularly where large sections of meat and other products are being stored. Even in hornos Where coolers are used, the walk-in cooler supports the .cooled or rolzen food more accessibly than other types of coolers. However, in the past it has been usually Vnecessary to build such a cooler permanently into the store or home, as a walk-in cooler is ordinarily of too large dimensions to be moved through doorways and the like.

An object of the .present invention lies in the provision of .a 6001er formed in sections and in designing these sections so that they may be reed/ily attached and detached. As a result the cooler may be I noved to a desired location in sections and assembled to produce a cooler of the desired dimensions.

A feature of the present invention -lies in the provision of a sectional cooler being formed of a series of sections which are detachably connected together. yEach Section includes inner and outer panels or coverings which are marginally connected by breaker strips ysof that a minimum of heat will be conducted through the wall. lLatch means are provided whieh are placed at desired intervals to connect the various sections together. This latch means locks adjacent sections togeher and holds them iirmly in place as long as the cooler remains assembled. However, if desired the latch means may be releasedso that the sections may be detached one from anotherso that the cooler may if desired bemoved to a diierent location. The detachability of the sections also is .irn- ,portant'because of the fact that .by this means `the cooler may be enlarged if desired, or changed in shape by adding additional sections or by changing the relationship thereof.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision ofa latch having a pivotally supported latch arm movable into extended orretracted position. The latch arrn is so constructed that in one extreme position it will extend freely through an aperture in the adjacent section. Vln its other extreme position the projecting hook end thereof will engage a wall of the adjacent section and Vclamp the two sections firmly together. t

added feature of the present invention lies in `the provision of a latehing means including a hook ended .latch arm and a pivotally supported cranls arm to'which `the latch arm is pivotally secured. Upon swinging the crank arm in one direction, the latch arm will be projected a substantial distance through an edge ofthe ysection on which it is `mounted and the hook `end of this ylatcharm will beraised. By swinging the crank arm in the opposite'direction the hook end of thela'tch arm will -belowered Vand will be moved toward the :edge from which it projects.

United States Patent' O Fatented Apr. 10,- 1956 'ice 2 An added feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a latch mounted to extend through the breaker 4strips connecting inner and outer refrigerator linings of two adjacent sections and clamping these seotions together in edge abutting relationship.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth'in the lfollowing specification and claim.

ln the drawings forming a part of my specication:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a sectional cooler showing the construction thereof.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sectional cooler of Figure 1, a portion'of the wall being Nbroken 1awaypto show the construction thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional View through the edges o ftwo adjacent sections showinglthelatch mechanism.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the adjacent `seofiens, the position of the section being indicated by the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View through the lower end ofta Yside wall section showing the manner in which the side walls areconnected to the base section.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the upper end oa wall section and a portion of a top section showing the manner in which these sections are connectedtogether.

Figure 7 is a sectional View showing the connection between two adjacent top sections.

The cooler A is only typical of various Vtypes and shapes of coolers which may be used. Thiszcooler A is shown as including a central rear wall section 10, .two rear corner sections 11 and 1 2. The cooler includes one or a series of side wall sections 13 andfront corner sections 14 similar to the rear corner sections 1 1 and 12. A door 15 may be mounted between vthe front corner sections 14 to complete the wall structure.

.The cooler A includes a floor 16 which is `illustrated .as being formed in sectional parts. The top of the cooler is closed by a rear end section ,17, one or more-jenter top sections 19 and a front top section 2 0. flhefront and `rear top sections .17 and. 20 may be identical inform and reversed in position. Y f

The typical floor section 1 8 I nay be formed any suitable manner, but is shown as including a series of cross beams 21 which are provided with channel `shaped 'bearing Caps 22 at the upper vand lower extremities. An outer metallic covering Zincludes a-bottompauel 24 which is turned up marginally yto provide `side .wall flanges 25 and inturned mersineledse anges 226. 4 .An inner panel 2,7 of metal or the like :is supported .by the capped beams 21 in spaced vrelation to the inturned anges `26. .A composition Yfloor :29 overlies the inner panel 27 and over the various oor sections-and form a flooring within the cooler.

rIhe floor section thus constructed, as well as the'other sections forming the tloor, is provided witha raisedguide rail 35 extending marginally thereabout as .best illustrated in Figure 5. his guide .rail 3i) includes a central elevated portion 31, downwardly and outwardly inclined side wall flanges 32 and 33, and inturned bearingvanges 34 and 35. The rail 30 is'held in place by'fastening means 36 of any suitable type.

Each wall section .is constructed with =an innerpanel 37, and an outer panel 39 usually of metal or 'thelike The inner panel 37 is provided atlits lower edge with an inturned ilange 46 which continues to formanupwardly inclined flange 41 andan inwardly extending marginal i'lange 42. The outer panel 39 -is 'also provided fat its lower edge with an inturned flange 43. Anupwardly and inwardly inclined flange 44 is Veonnectedto the-inner edge of the ange 43 and a marginal ange 45is formed on the flange 44. The anges 42 -and145 are arranged connection.

section through the edges of adjacent wall sections toV -the upperedges .of the side wall sections. Y tions include atop p anel 89 which bends downwardly YinY opposedicoplanar relationship `and are eonnected to-Y Y n gether by breakerstrips 46 of a material of relatively low heat conductivity.

relation, a breaker strip47 also lies against the inner surfacesrofthe fianges 42 and V45 and rests marginally jon spacing blocks 49'. Fastenings 50 connect the strips 46 and 47 tothe anges 42 and 4S. Gaskets 51 and 52 are secured to the intur'ned flanges 40 and 43 as also illusftrated inA Figure 5. These gaskets are secured to the 'anges Ywith rubberecement.` Y I Each side wall section is formed withV one edge which f'forms the female portion oa joint or connection, while the lother edge'thereof forms the male portionV of the ln Figure 3 of the drawings I disclose a 'show the manner in which4 thesewall sections interiit together. The male portion of the connection is formed by bending inwardly a vertical edge of the outer panel 39 to form a ilange 55 which merges into an inclined ange 56 and terminates in an inturned marginal ange 57. The inner panel 37 is also bent inwardly along a corresponding vertical edge to form an inturned iiange 59 which merges into an inclined flange 60 terminating 66 whichmerges into the inclined ange 67 and termi- .nates in the inturned marginal ilange 69. The inner panel 39 is .also bentfoutwardly to form a ange 70 `whichmerges into an'inclined ange 71 and terminates VYin a marginal ange 72. A breaker strip 73 lies outwardly of the opposed coplanar marginal flanges 69 and 72 Yand is'secured thereto by metal" screws y74 or other suitable'means. f yBreaker strip means 75 also lie inwardly of the iianges 69 and 72 a'nd'is` held in place by the 'screws 74. The side edgesl of this breaker strip means 75`lies against spacing strips or blocks 76 and is secured .thereto in any suitablev manner.

The top panels dovetail into the side wall sections as best illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. It will be f noted that thetop marginal edges of the outer side wall panels-39 are turned inwardly Yto provideY an inturned ange-77 which merges into a downwardly Vand inwardly inclined ange- 79 and terminates in a marginal inturned `flange 80. The inner wall panel 37 is likewise provided withan outwardly turned ange 81 which merges into the downwardly andoutwardly inclined ilange 82 and terminates in an Voutturned marginal flange 83. A breaker strip 84 lies above the opposed coplanar flanges j To assist in holding the inner and outer panels in proper and 83 and a second breaker strip 85 lies below these anges. Screws 86 or other suitable means connectthe breaker strips to the lianges 80 and 83. Spacer blocks .or strips 87 are interposed between the marginal .edges Yof the lower breaker Vstrip and the anges V77 .andY 81.

The top sections are also provided with marginal male joint portions which tit into the female joint portions at The top secalong outer edges of the section to form outer edge walls 90. Therwalls 90 are provided with inturned niar- 'ginal Yflanges 91 which merge into downwardly and in- Wardly inclined anges 92 and terminates in inwardly turned marginalanges 93. The inner or under panel .'94 of each top section is provided adjacent'its outer vedges with a downwardly and outwardly inclined ange M95 and terminates in an outturned tlange 96. The flanges thereto.

93Y andw96 *are larranged in 'eo-planar relation Aand a breaker strip 97 connects" these anges and is secured thereto by screws 99 or other suitable fastening means. An inner breaker strip 100 overlies the flange 91 and the upper surface of the panel 94 and is secured thereto byy suitable means 101. e Y

The above described joint obviously only extends about the outer walls of the top sections.' l'he Yadjacent walls of the top sections are provided with male and female connections of the type previously described as extending along a vertical wallsection. 'The rear wall section 17 thus provides a jointof the type described aboveV along three marginal edges, while the fourth edge is connected along the male and female connection 102 illustrated in detail in Figure 7 of the drawings.

The top panel 89 is provided with a downwardly turned ange 103 merging `into a downwardly inclined ange V104 and terminatingin a down-turned flange 105; YThe Y lower panel 94 is provided at its corresponding edge with an upturned flange 106 which merges into an inclined flange 107 and terminates` in an up-turned llange 109.

TheV anges and'109V are engagedagainst opposite surfaces'of these anges and breaker strips 110 and 111 connect these flanges and are secured thereto in any suitable manner.

the ange 112v`which merges into the inclined flange V113 and terminatesin the down-turned ange Y114. The bottom panel-94 has a corresponding up-turned ange 115 which merges into Van inclined flange 116 and terminates in a marginal ang117. The breaker strip 119 lies outwardly'of the flanges 114 and 117 and is secured The breaker strip r120 lies inwardly` of the flanges 112 and 115 and is secured marginally thereto. The various sections are connected together along their meeting edges by a latch Vapparatus best illustrated in Figures Sand 4 of thedrawings. Such latch devices are supported in spaced relationship about the marginal edges of all of the sections. As all of these latch devices are identical in form and construction onlyone such device will bedescribed in detail. As has lbeen described previously the various sections include inner and outer panels which are separated by inner and outer breaker strips. The inner breaker strip, such as the `strip 64 of Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings `acts as a support for a pair of spaced parallel brackets 120 and'121 having Vanchoring anges 122 and 123 thereupon whichlie inwardly of the breaker strip 64 and are secured thereto movement in one direction. A crank arm 129 is mountedY upon the pivot 125 between the plates 120 and 121. The end of the pvotV opposite the square shank 126 projects through the plate 120 and a cotter pin 127 or other suitable device extends through this shank to holdrthe Vpivot from axial movement. Y

Alatch arm 130 is pivotally connected at 131 tothe crank arm 129. The latch arm 130 has an unusual outline shape best illustrated in Figure 4 `of the drawings..

This latch arm includes a downwardly projecting arm end 132 which is connected to a laterally extending arm portion 133 which terminates in a downwardly facing hook end 134. The arm portion 133 includes an upwardly extending hump 135 spaced from the hook end 134 and a downwardly projecting bulgeV or hump 136V somewhat closer to the pivoted end 132. The arm is notched between the pivoted end 133 and the hump 136 so as to extend above the pivot 125 in locked position of the latch.

The latch arm 130 extends through an aperture 136 in the breaker strip 64 and through a substantially aligned aperture 139 in the breaker strip 62. The projecting vhook The cooperating edge of the next adjacent Y sectionhas its toppanel AS9 bent downwardly to form end 134 is likewise designed to extend through apertures spectively.

The aperture 137 in the breaker strip 64 and the adjoining aperture 142 in the latch base clip 143 controls the position of the latch arm in the operation thereof. The hook end 134 of the latch arm tilts upwardly as this latch arm projects farther through the apertures 137 and 142 and tilts downwardly as the latch arm is retracted into these apertures. As indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings when the arm 129 is pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction from the full line position illustrated the right hand end of the latch arm 130 is raised slightly and then begins to move outwardly through the apertures 137 and 142. The hump 136 soon strikes against the lower edge of the aperture 142 tending to raise the hook end of the latch. Thus as the latch arm moves toward projected position the hook end swings upwardly until the arm 129 reaches a position at approximately ninety degrees from the full line position. Further rotation of the arm 129 in a counter-clockwise direction swings the pivoted end 132 of the latch arm 130 downwardly so as to tilt the latch upwardly until the hook end 134 thereof is entirely free of the portion of the adjacent section which it engages. While in this tilted position the latch may be removed from the adjacent section by moving the two sections apart.

It will be noted that as the arm 129 is rotated in a clockwise direction the pivoted end 132 of the latch arm is raised slightly and then begins to move toward retracted position. After the hump 136 has been disengaged from the lower edge of the aperture 142, the hump 135 engages the upper edge of this aperture to urge the hook end 134 downwardly. Thus the engagement of this hook end with the lip 143 of the metallic reinforcing frame 144 of the adjacent section portion is insured.

It will be noted that the hook end is shaped to engage below the lip 143 of the reinforcing frame 144 encircling the aperture 140 of the cooperable section. In latched position of the latch arm it will be noted that the pivot 131 extends beyond a straight line between this hook end 134 and the pivot axis 125. As a result the end of the latch goes beyond the center line between the end 134 and pivot 125 so as to insure permanent engagement of the latch until the same is manually disengaged.

An opening 145 is provided in the inner panel 37 in alignment with the square shank 126 of each latching means, this opening being normally closed by a closure plate 146 having spring prongs 147 thereon. A socket wrench of a suitable type is engageable through this aperture 145 for rotating the pivot 125. Thus in assembling the various sections the wrench is inserted through the adjacent opening 145 of each latch means and the latch is pivoted from projected position into retracted position, thus clamping the sections together at spaced points about their periphery.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my sectional walk-in cooler, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

A sectional cooler including a pair of wall sections disposed in an end to end relation, each wall section comprising inner and outer panels, the inner and outer panels of one wall section having inturned iianges, recessed marginal ilanges substantially parallel to said inturned flanges and inclined flanges connecting with said inturned and marginal anges, said several flanges forming a female end, breaker strip means on each side of said marginal flanges, said strip means being apertured and the inner strip means carrying a latch clip, the inner and outer panels of said other wall section having inturned flanges, marginal anges received by said female end of said first mentioned section, said marginal anges being substantially parallel to said inturned anges and inclined flanges connecting with said last mentioned inturned and marginal flanges, breaker strip means carried by said last mentioned marginal anges and breaker strip means carried by said last mentioned inturned llanges, said breaker strip means being apertured, bracket means supported by said last mentioned breaker strip means, a shank rotatably carried by said bracket means, an arm mounted on said shank for rotation therewith, a latch arm pivotally mounted to said lirst mentioned arm, said latch arm extending through the apertures of said various strip means, and having an end engageable with said latch clip, and compressible gasket means interposed between the opposed faces of the respective inturned anges, whereby rotation of said shank in one direction will cause clamping of said sections in said end to end relation with the concomitant compression of said gasket means.

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